Show GLORIA IN DEO OED et tt S 'S 45 l C fir 1 N 4 q d i y A. A i 7 1 i d Y YS S S b by y t. c-t. y j il 4 a aF F JK h 1 yf I WHEN rHEN Mary and Joseph undertook their memorable journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem nearly two thousand years ago Palestine was a peaceful and reasonably prosperous country But the heart o of f Israel was filled with longing and uneasiness longing for forthe forthe the Messiah who according to the prophets the Lord bad had promised His chosen people the Messiah who would deliver them from their trials and tribulations even tribulations even as Moses had bad led their forefathers out o of f the bondage o of oj f Egypt And now it came to pass that Caesar Augustus had decided all the world should be taxed and every man should be enrolled each eachin eachin eachin in his bis native city And it happened that Joseph who lived in Nazareth was a native of oj Bethlehem In those days there was no macadam hig highway way leading from the Galilean hillside into Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethle hem the city of oj David which nestled in the green blue mountains south of oj Jerusalem and under ideal conditions Bethlehem was several days' days journey from Nazareth So Mary and Joseph started for Bethlehem about the middle o of f December They carried can a little food with them for emergencies a little extra clothing and some bedding They traveled very slowly I because became of Mary Mary and and when she was too tired to walk another step I Joseph took the packs upon his shoulders so Mary might ride the I little donkey which trudged tN faithfully at his side I 4 THE HE little village of aJ Bethlehem was about six miles from Jerusalem Jeru- Jeru salem Those last six miles were the longest and hardest far for Mary the mountain trail was steep and treacherous the atmosphere was lighter than the travelers from Galilee were accustomed to and they were very tired and ami weary travel-weary when they reached Bethlehem the city nty o of f David id where Josephs Joseph's ancestor King David had ruled fourteen generations before Augustus and his census It 11 was early evening but bul the inn was already crowded beyond its normal capacity with census- census bound travelers not even a corner carner was available where Joseph could have bave spread a bed for Mary In desperation Joseph pleaded from door to door doar and with those whom he be passed as he raced through the narrow streets o of f Bethlehem in search of oj shelter Finally someone directed him to a stable which was really a cave hewn into the rocky ledge o of f the mountainside The i stable to which Joseph led Mary was well supplied with clean straw and Mary was grateful for shelter and privacy it was Holy Night I There was no IZO room at the inn that night but over in Shepherds' Shepherds field about two miles south of oj Bethlehem several Shepherds were keeping the night watch over their flocks when suddenly a great greal blaze o of f light appeared in the sky and amI seemed to descend upon the countryside The Shepherds were very frightened and devout men that they were they called upon God to help them When f hetz they raised their eyes ayes from supplication the glory of the Lord Lard shone ze allaround all allaround allaround around them and an angel stood in their midst assur assuring tzg them there was nothing to fear For Behold I 1 bring you glad tydings of OJ great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of oj David Davida I Ia a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And this shall be a sign unto I you Ye shall find the babe wrapped in Z swaddling clothes lying in a manger And Ami suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and ami saying Glory to God in the highest high high- est and on OIZ earth peace good will toward men THE HE Shepherds hurried to Bethlehem there to find the Infant asleep in iZ the manger manger even even as it had bad been foretold unto them His Stable was filled with a heavenly radiance and having worshiPped worshipped worshipped wor wor- shipped the Child the Shepherds were filled with a wondrous feeling of oj peace And the Shepherds wondered and told others concerning concerning con con- those things which they bad had seen and heard Several days later a richly appointed caravan wove its way through the crooked streets of oj Bethlehem bearing Wise Men from the east who following the Star of oj Bethlehem which they had bad seen from afar had come to adore the new born King And the Star led them until it came and stood over the manger matzger where the Child was The Wise Men rejoiced when they saw the Holy Infant Jy lying tzg in the manger and they adored Him They ordered gifts to be brought from their caravan gifts symbolic of oj what Jesus Jems was to become gold become gold for a king myrrh for a great physician f frank frankincense f for or a high priest All Bethlehem crowded aroun around awestruck around awestruck and curious but Mary pondered all these things in its Z her heart and watched over the Child with great diligence And that is s the way it came to pass that Jesus was born in n Bethlehem it could nl not t have come to pass pan in iz rosy any other way Before the sacred manger all men nten are equal and only from a lowly stable could the Saviour draw unto Himself all who are weary and heavy- heavy laden And truly tN only the heavenly host could praise God that first Christmas night Glory to God in Z the highest and on earth p peace ace good will toward men me Dorothea Dolls Back in Style Santa ClAUS Glaus will have his pack loaded this Christmas with many new and taking breath-taking dolls During During During Dur Dur- ing the war much of his time tune was spent in making military toys but the selection this year will offer many dolls of all ages complete I wardrobes for each group costumes costumes cos cos- for every type of social occa occa- sion For hundreds of years beautiful beautiful beautiful beau beau- dolls have been made of wax bisque and China now plastics plastic are being largely utilized |